A typical fuel cell stack is constructed by methods and mechanisms that collectively compress all of the MEA's in the stack to a common pressure. This may be accomplished by use of tie-rods, long bolts, or clamping devices located on the perimeter of the stack or running through the middle of the stack. In such stacks, the compressive force is nominally the same at all points within the stack but the compressive strain of any individual MEA is not individually controlled nor predictable. In order to limit the compressive strain experienced by an individual MEA in such a stack, the MEA may include a “hard stop” feature, such as a shim of essentially incompressible material underlying or enclosed in the seals or gaskets of the MEA. This solution adds complexity to the design and manufacture of the MEA. Alternately, the gaskets or seals may be specified for a precise modulus in order to obtain a precise strain at the applied force that will be applied to the entire stack, which also must be specified precisely. In addition to requiring tight specifications, this approach requires that the gaskets or seals have a high modulus, which is generally incompatible with the primary purpose of the seals and gaskets to seal against gas leaks. Furthermore, in a stack where all of the MEA's are compressed collectively, the stack has to be disassembled in order to remove or replace a failed MEA. This necessarily relieves the compressive forces on all MEA's, which may adversely affect the ability of an MEA to reseal and perform to its prior ability.